Pack: The Wolf Within

Chapter Seven: Wolf

Rebel

"Come on." Scout reached for my hand.

I looked at him, perplexed. "Where we going?"

"It's almost time. We can't be here when it happens."

"We're going outside?"

"Well yeah."

"What if.... What if we hurt someone?" Nervous energy pulsed through me.

"We won't." Scout insisted.

"But what if we do?"

"Don't worry, this is your first time." Scout tried to hide his smirk. "I'll be surprised if you're able to do more than whimper and howl. It's not like in the movies; turn into a werewolf and menace the countryside. You're gonna be a brand-new pup. Well not pup, but you know what I mean."

I had no idea what he meant, no idea what to expect, even though he'd been telling me for days now. Still the idea had yet to sink in, become reality. I wondered how I got here, why there were no telltale signs when I was younger, that I was a werewolf. Nor did I understand why, suddenly, it was happening. I looked over at Scout. The only thing I did know; it started with him, the moment I saw him.

The super moon glowed brilliantly in the night sky, so bright I could barely see the stars. I watched our stark shadows stretch away in front of us, walking hand in hand.

I'm scared, I thought; terrified.

Scout squeezed my hand. I looked over at him again and the moon light shone bright in his eyes. "Don't worry. I'll be with you."

****

I was naked and trembling, every muscle in my body ached from exertion. My lungs burned as if I inhaled fire and not the cold morning air. I felt weak, even as I sensed a new-found strength. My heart pounded; I could feel the tremendous push pull of blood.

There was blood, congealed and tacky to the touch and tufts of matted fur, incrusted with bits of gore on the ground where I woke. Part of me wanted to scramble away from it, disgusted by the sickly stench, but another part, felt an odd satisfaction; contentment and still another part, was just too tired to even move. A quick inventory of my person, that's what it felt like, a surreal out of body experience in which I was not truly inside but outside, touching and checking, helped me realize none of the blood was mine. Or maybe, I spontaneously healed in the night, much like Scout had done from his encounter with the alpha wolf.

I could smell Scout, his scent was ubiquitous, the air thick with it. Though it was near pitch

I nearly jumped out of my skin when Scout growled and curled up next to me. I couldn't see him in the pitch of the cave, but oddly I could; I could make out his shape, the curve and lines of his body. I turned into the warmth of his body; the touch, the sensation of it shook me like a crash of thunder. Scout draped an arm over me and pulled me tight, rubbing away the gooseflesh on my arms.

I realized I was in his den.

Closing my eyes, I struggled to remember what happened under last night's bright full moon, but it was a hopeless endeavor. My mind was blank except for flashes of sounds and images; scattered puzzle pieces thrown randomly in my head. I winced with the memories of pain.

Scout pressed his forehead against mine. "You're okay," he a reassured, his voice both external and internal, like an echo, his lips against me as he spoke. "You're not hurt."

"I'm okay." I nodded, and did another quick inventory, flexing fingers and toes, then stretched, like a cat. Nothing hurt, just the familiar ache of overused muscles, like waking up the morning after a strenuous workout at the gym. "I don't remember what happened."

His eye lashes tickled my cheek as he blinked. "You will. The first time kind of throws the breakers. The beast, that's what I call him, keeps the memories. Mostly they're just sensory. Once you're more familiar, you'll be able to decipher what you remember. Until then, it's like watching a foreign film without subtitles, the images just seep over. You know, same brain and all." Scout pressed his forehead to mine. "Your wolf remembers, but he doesn't care. I think the two, the beast and the wolf are more in cahoots when the beast is free to roam. I have to keep them on a firm leash."

"Cahoots?"

I could see him smiling then he bit me playfully.

Scout pointed to his head. "They're kinda howling at me." He lay on his back and worked his hands like two little puppets and pretended they bickered back and forth, pecking at each like birds.

"How do you understand them? How do they understand you?"

"It's hard to explain. You know them better than you think because they're part of you. Some of the things you like, some of the food you crave, some of the people you're attracted too, are really their influence." He still seemed a little distracted. "It's like being psychic. You know what they're going to say before they say it. It's the worst kind of talking to yourself." Scout smiled and snuggled closer. "They're thoughts and needs are much more innate. They don't try and figure out the why and what of a situation."

Scout shook his head then rolled back onto his side, inching closer to me. "You'll get used to it." I could see the barest glow in his eyes, and at first I thought it was reflective light. I wondered if my eyes had that glow. I marveled at how I could now see him perfectly in this pitch blackness. I stretched against him and he wormed an arm under me and pulled me tight.

This is pack.

There was utter contentment in the voice.

"Huh?" I asked.

Scout propped his chin on my chest. "You heard him." He tapped a finger to my temple.

"Heard? Heard who?"

"Your wolf."

"I... What?"

"It sounds like your pup is happy." Scout explained.

I heard a growl not my own. "I don't think he likes to be called pup." I rolled over, trying my best to maintain the physical contact. We seemed to be fidgeting against each other. I couldn't get enough of him. He practically glowed, much like his eyes, with some internal radiance. His touch was electric, exhilarating, invigorating. It was all I could do to maintain calm. My pup wasn't showing as much restraint. He clamored against the inner walls of my head, perhaps explaining my restlessness or causing it. "You can hear him?"

Scout nodded. "Not as well as my own...pup. But, yeah, I hear him." Scout grinned, his eyes shifting up and away as if he were listening to some conversation. I tried to shush my wolf but that only brought another barrage that overwhelmed my senses. I wondered if he heard Scout's wolf. I closed my eyes, as if that would shut out the noise. I felt Scout's hands on me, felt him pull in closer, felt the "shhhh" of his breath in my ear. My wolf settled immediately and in my mind's eye I saw him settle on his haunches, tail wagging rapidly back and forth. Suck up.

"Do you see them? I mean, in your head?"

"I used to. Especially in the beginning. Even though we're all the same person, it was hard to grasp in the beginning. I tried to separate the three of us and then I tried to separate me from the other two. And the pictures I see in my head of them, aren't really what they look like. I picture my wolf as this cute little thing...."

I laughed at that, recalling the huge wolf that had lunged at me, pinning me to the ground the first time I saw Scout transform. "Yeah, cute little thing would not be the first thing that comes to mind.

"What about the other one?" Scout asked.

I shrugged; unable to find the words to describe his beast. "You missed the boat if you're hoping for Teen Wolf, I hate to break it to you. It's more American Werewolf in London or The Howling." I paused, listening to an internal silence. "I don't hear mine."

"He's probably sleeping. Your body is wrecked, physiologically. I think we're going to have a stay in bed day, today. To recuperate." He grinned before kissing me, teasing me with his teeth, which brought an immediate onslaught of barking from my wolf. "It's just you and me and, apparently, wolfie."

My wolf barked again, as if he acknowledged Scout's words, or perhaps he goaded Scout to continue. I think those two were in cahoots as Scout prolonged his teasing.

I sat up. My wolf had suddenly gone silent. And even as he did, Scout went still; his attention instantly angled towards the entrance of the den.

"What..."

"Shhhhh." Scout warned. And in a moment, he shifted, his warning a guttural growl. In the moment it took Scout to shift, my wolf went from silent and alert, to berserk, as if he wanted out of this cage that was my body.

blue eyes?

I heard the words and saw in my mind; brilliant piercing blue eyes. They were foreign to me but from Scout, I sensed a familiarity.

For a moment, Scout's wolf stood rigid, ears back, teeth bared, hackles raised as he stood sentry. My wolf snarled internally as I noted movement in the dark. I felt the urge to shift, even though I knew it was beyond my abilities. I started to rise but Scout looked back at me, his golden eyes intense. I froze, my wolf went silent. Scout crouched meekly as another wolf materialize out of the darkness. It was large, larger than Scout by a head. It snuffed the air in my direction and before I knew what was happening; it attacked. The impact threw us back; we tumbled to the back of the den. I scrambled to get the wolf off me, swinging and kicking wildly. I felt, or rather heard, the large jaws of the animal snapping at me, felt its teeth clamp down hard on my forearm. I howled in pain as I worked my feet under the wolf's belly to heave it off. I slammed my free arm into the dog's snout and it released me. One second it was atop of me, snarling, biting, the next it was snatched away by its hind leg. I could hear them tumbling in the dark, growling, snarling, the menace was palpable, the noise deafening, a cacophony compared to the peaceful serenity of a moment ago. The two wolves squared off, dark shapes lunging at one another.

I heard a yowl of pain which I feared was Scout. Quickly, I rose on unsteady feet and scrambled for something, anything, that I might use as a weapon. I felt blindly along the back perimeter of the den and found stones which I flung blindly, aware that I'd be hitting Scout just as much as Blue Eyes. The first one to make contact brought a yelp of surprise. I hurled another and another, until the den was silent except for my heavy breathing. I stared into the darkness, gripping another stone at the ready. I listened intently, could hear padding footsteps then Scout plopped down at my feet, tongue lolling. The other wolf was gone.

"What the hell?"

Scout slowly shifted back into human form. He didn't move once his transformation was complete but rather lay motionless, curled into a protective fetal ball. I grabbed the musty blanket we'd slept on and flung it over him then crawled under the blanket with him. I pulled him close, running my hands over him to check if he was hurt. "Are you okay?"

I felt rather than heard him laughing. He nuzzled closer to me, lacing his arms around me. I felt him nod against my chest. "I'm fine." His exhaustion was obvious, his words barely above a whisper.

"What... Who was that?" It felt ridiculous to call the wolf a who, but I knew in my gut that it was like us. Blue eyes.

He pulled me tighter, shaking his head in answer. "Are you okay? I smell blood."

I'd forgotten the bite on my arm and sat up to examine the damage. I saw no wound, just blood where his jaw had clamped down. I marveled as I flexed my hand and fingers, raised and lowered my arm; expecting to feel pain, but felt none.

I looked back down at Scout, who watched me. "Who's Blue Eyes?"

Scout looked away but not before I detected a reaction.

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Thanks for reading and voting. Tell me what you think. Something missing, something odd something peculiar.... Hope you enjoyed. ~nick